Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-12-16
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Regular Correspondence Of the Standard.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 1887.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 1887.
The Democratic Congressional eau
Gus, which will assemble at the
Capitol the last OF this week, will
settle the fate of number of aspiring
gentlemen who are ambitious to serve
their country as subordinates of the
House of Representatives. 1t is the
opinion of many that the Hon.
Sunset" Cox is to be both temporary
and permanent chairman OF the DEM
cratic caucus. Since last wrote
you, the situation has changed some
what-all the candidates for Door
keeper having withdrawn except two,
Donaldson and Hunt, a contestant for
Clerkship having appeared in the per-
son of w. r. Raines, of Rochester, N.
", and it is said that he is supported
by powerful influences. On the other
hand, the friends of the present Clerk,
Gen, Joe. b. Clark, of Missouri, con-
fidentiallyclaim his reelection.
Greater interest is felt in the political
circles in Washi 1gton as to what may
tIanspire at the other end of the Capt.
tol next Monday, as the seats OF at
least two of the twepty-six Senators
who will present themselves to be
sworn in on that day, are to be con-
tested-one each from California and
West Virginia, to say nothing of a
"protest" from Indiana-the situation
being complicated. by the fa ct that OF
the fifty Senators holding over,
twenty-five are Democrats and twenty
five are Observation-Disclosures
included. Thus the. Senator from
Virginia holds the balance of power.
I am informed that it is the policy of
the Democrats to forestall the con-
tests by urging the seating of all the
new Senators at once in a body, and
in case the Republicans refuse assent
to the proposition, to produce legis
lative deadlock. The admission o.
the Senators from California and
West Virginia involves the right o
the State Legislature to choose
United States Senator at an extra
session; thus the decision in these
cases will be useful as a precedent tt
settle future contests of this charac
| ter.
There is every indication that thu
Senate will wage Il vigorous wal
against the President this winter
the provocation being Mr.. Cleveland
appointment of the American Fisher
les Commissioners who rank diploma
tically rs special envoys, without th'
" advice and consent of the Senate.
The question OF prerogativc thus
raised is quite an old one, dating bacl
early in the. history of the Govern
ment, and it affords political dema
gogues a ready subject OF intermina
BILE controversy.
The International Fisheries Com
| mission is now in secret session at th'
State Department., and consequently
the deliberations of this dignifiet
body are not KIN own to the pub
lie. t.
The argument in the STANDARD Oh
discrimination cases, much to TIN
surprise of nearly everybody, ha
been postponed by the Interstat
Commission till January 10th. Fror
all your correspondent can learn {
the evidence, it seems that a yer
strong case has been made out agains
the Jumbo of monopolies, if ia
Gould's telegraph lines be excepted.
Chief Justice Waite, of the Suprem
Court, celebrated his seventy-firs
birthday this week, but he does nc
look day over sixty years. On
year ago the venerable jurist wa
eligible to retirement, and he coul
r then have resigned his commissio
and demanded a salary OF $4,000 pr
annum the remainder of his life. III
same may be said of Associate Justice